Plateau Police Station: Commissioner Mass Thiobane hands over the reins to Ousmane Diop amidst a shower of tributes

After three years at the helm of the Plateau district police station, to the satisfaction of his superiors, Commissioner Mass Thiobane handed over the reins to his successor, Commissioner Ousmane Diop, formerly head of the Yeumbeul-Comico district police station. Seneweb reports on the tributes paid to the outgoing commissioner during the ceremony.

A ceremony presided over by the central police commissioner of Dakar

The handover ceremony took place this Tuesday under the chairmanship of Divisional Commissioner Mamadou Tendeng, head of the Dakar Central Police Station. Also present were the sub-prefect of Dakar-Plateau, a delegation from the mayor's office, other authorities, and residents of the district.

Divisional Commissioner Mamadou Tendeng's plea for respect

Speaking at the event, Divisional Commissioner Mamadou Tendeng praised the "very satisfactory" results, while reminding everyone that police officers are "always called upon to do more," given the ever-increasing security demands. He called for "greater commitment" and "greater effort" to meet citizens' security needs.

He then emphasized respect and courtesy. “Our mission is to serve them, but to serve them with respect. It is in the name of the law that we can arrest a fellow citizen and bring them before the courts, but it is this same law that requires us to respect everyone,” he stated. He reiterated that the code of criminal procedure mandates respect, including towards a person caught in the act of committing a crime.

According to him, "every person, regardless of the offence committed, has rights" that police officers have an obligation to respect.

He believed that this respect would help prevent cases where citizens claim to have been insulted by officers, or to have been refused service. "Senegalese police officers are not lacking in professionalism. The only criticisms we receive are in this area. They are good, they are professional, they are experienced, but sometimes they speak to you with... Let's avoid this mix, and it's possible," he added.

Testimonies about the outgoing commissioner

Divisional Commissioner Mamadou Tendeng urged staff to give the new head of service the same support they had given Commissioner Mass Thiobane. "If he succeeded in his mission here, it was because he knew how to bring together dedicated men and women who, together, did the job properly. It is this same energy that I hope you will fully and unreservedly dedicate to Commissioner Ousmane Diop," he stated, calling for action "for the smooth operation of the service, for the good of the national police, and above all, for our fellow citizens."

To the outgoing commissioner, he declared: “I greatly appreciated our collaboration. You gave me complete satisfaction. Throughout your time under my command, you demonstrated professionalism. You showed your commitment and your love for a job well done. For this, I say this before your men and before all those who have come to attend this ceremony.”

He also thanked the audience for coming and for their support of the Plateau police station.

Commissioner Ousmane Diop also paid tribute to his predecessor, whom he described as a classmate. He said he had heard the words of the central commissioner and affirmed that they "did not betray the police commissioner cadet" he knew at the National Police Academy. "Always humble, but never wavering in his positions and principles." He praised the "colossal work" accomplished by Commissioner Mass Thiobane during his assignment in Dakar-Plateau.

Mass Thiobane: "We remain within the great house that is the national police force."

The outgoing commissioner then took the floor. He thanked his superiors, particularly the Director General of the National Police and the successive Directors of Public Security. He specified that he had served for ten years in Public Security, under three directors: Chief Superintendent Abdoulaye Diop, Director Ibrahima Diop, and currently, Ndiarra Sène, also mentioning Abdou Wahab Sall and Modou Mbacké Diagne, who also headed Public Security.

He also mentioned the commissioners he had worked with, "from Diourbel to Touba and now." "If we have succeeded, it is thanks to the support of the hierarchy, which has always stood by us, sometimes in very difficult times," he said. "We are changing course, but we remain within the larger institution that is the national police."

He thanked his teams, whom he described as "close-knit" and "deeply committed to the mission," as well as his friends who had come from Touba, other towns in the Diourbel region, and Dakar. "We're changing course, but friendships remain friendships." He also praised the police station's partners: the Lamine Guèye high school, whose principal had been present since the morning, the Dakar-Plateau town hall, the sub-prefect, the prefect who had called him, and the Lebanese community.

The outgoing commissioner then thanked his family, who suffer "a great deal of inconvenience" due to his travels and work-related constraints. He noted the presence of his mother and his wife.

Echoing the central commissioner's message, he affirmed that the police mission remains unchanged: to ensure that officers' actions are within the bounds of the law. Speaking in Wolof, he urged his colleagues to show compassion towards citizens and to do their best, without claiming to solve everything. He compared the police station to a hospital emergency room: "When people come, it's because they need help." He encouraged reception staff and officers on the streets to guide members of the public with respect, in order to help them resolve their problems.

"He will do more": the portrait of the successor

Commissioner Mass Thiobane asked his colleagues to support Commissioner Ousmane Diop "even more than they have supported him." He described him as his "classmate" and a friend. "He did excellent work in the suburbs. I mean it: he dismantled several gangs; you only have to search on social media to see that," he declared. Even though "the worlds are different," he said he was convinced that his successor "will do more" in Dakar, with the support of his teams.

He then thanked Divisional Commissioner Mamadou Tendeng: "A leader is someone who lets you do your thing and who, when there is a need to defend, defends you, whether you show it or not. You make us proud, you are our role model. It is rare to have leaders today; we may have chiefs, but you, you are a leader."

He assured everyone that he would remain "always available." "I'm still a police officer. That's how a career works: you do your time, then you move on to other horizons for another experience."

Commissioner Mass Thiobane must join another department of the national police to continue his mission.

Ousmane Diop: "consolidating the gains"

The new district commissioner for Plateau expressed his gratitude to the police hierarchy for the trust placed in him. Ousmane Diop also thanked the central commissioner of Dakar for the confidence he would show him during his assignment in the Dakar-Plateau sector. He stated his conviction that the commissioner's guidance, advice, and experience would be "invaluable support" for the success of his new responsibilities. He concluded by promising to rely on Commissioner Mass Thiobane to "consolidate the achievements."

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